Ponu's Story - by Lorene Sisquoc

Ponu’s Story Written by Lorene Sisquoc Illustrated by Zoe Storz

I named this book Ponu after my youngest daughter who, since she was a little girl, was always interested in my stories and our traditions.

She now teaches others how to make baskets, toys and games and how to make delicious meals, medicine and useful things from our native plants.

I am hopeful that through passing these traditions on to her children and nieces and nephews our ways won’t be lost.

- Lorene Sisquoc

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This story is dedicated to my family, my teachers, and our future generations.

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This story is about remembering the ways of our ancestors and about living in a good way on this earth.

Our early ancestors were given beautiful instructions of how to live on this earth in a good way. They passed these ways down from generation to generation, then suddenly and sometimes slowly these ways were forbidden, forgotten, hidden, and in some instances passed on.

When I was growing up, I only learned bits and pieces from my grandmother and other family members. When I was a teen, I wanted to learn more, and fortunately I was around those from many different tribes that shared their ways with me.

These teachings inspired me and planted the seeds for me to make it a big part of my life to learn, share, and preserve our beautiful teachings and values from our ancestors.

This story does not reflect any one of my tribes I descend from. This story comes from the many teachings I was told as a young girl by many different people.

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This story is from a time when there was great sadness, confusion and destruction on Mother Earth.

The people of the earth had grown so greedy and had no knowledge of their purpose for being here or their connection to the earth’s sacred balance.

Their purpose was to be the protectors of the earth.

Many people had forgotten this and the sacred balance was broken.

People could no longer breathe the air or drink the water without becoming sick.

Many animals disappeared from the face of the earth.

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It was indeed a very sad time.

However, there were people who truly cared about Mother Earth and tried to learn the sacred ways of living without destroying her.

Ponu was a young woman who felt deep in her heart that something must be done to bring back that sacred balance and connection between Mother Earth and the people.

She would often go to places where there was still some wilderness to pray, to sing and to learn about the gifts of Mother Earth.

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Many times, she would just sit under the Old Grandmother Oak Tree and imagine the world pure and clean as it was in her great-great-grandparent’s time.

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One day, Ponu came upon a hidden cave.

She crawled in and noticed what seemed to be a magical tunnel leading upward.

The farther she got, the colder she felt.

The walls of this tunnel were of crystal with many sharp edges.

“Be careful,” she thought. “You must keep going.”

Then she felt the warmth.

It was the sun!

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Finally she was near the top and she could hear water.

She came to the end of the tunnel, and found it was the opening to another world.

It was beautiful!

There was a waterfall in front of the opening.

And just on the other side, was a pond so clear that you could see all the life in it.

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Ponu could hear the chanting of the birds, all sorts of birds – in colors and sizes she had never seen before.

They sang songs to her, and she could understand them.

She swam in the purifying waters and had no fears or thoughts of sadness or worry of the world she left behind.

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Then came the animals.

They too spoke to her in a magical language Ponu could understand.

They each shared some of the gifts they had to offer.

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Coyote was first.

She taught Ponu the songs of love and respect for Mother Earth.

She taught her the songs of sadness for when you lose someone you love.

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Beaver and packrat showed her how to build a good strong home.

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Squirrel, mouse, chipmunk and woodpecker taught her how to store up food for the winter.

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Spider and hummingbird taught Ponu how to weave.

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Deer showed her the plants and grasses that were good to eat.

Mama bear showed her how to care for the young.

She showed her which plants, berries and roots were good for food.

She showed her which to use for healing the sick.

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The hawks showed her beautiful dances and offered their feathers for decorations and ceremonies.

Mockingbird taught her prayers and songs to use at sunrise and sunset.

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The beautiful moon maiden taught her many songs and showed her how young girls should behave.

She taught her how to weave designs in her baskets and play fun games using strings.

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Badger showed her how to have courage and how to face her fears.

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Owl told Ponu many stories and legends of the night.

She also learned to respect and not fear owl.

Owl said, “I am not the bringer of death, I am only a messenger.”

She told her that only the most sacred people could use her feathers.

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When morning came, eagle taught Ponu some prayers.

Eagle said that she would help take the prayers of her people to the creator.

Eagle gave Ponu a feather from her tail and said to give it to her holy people to help them when they needed strength and guidance.

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Eagle said to use tobacco, sage, sweet grass or cedar when praying.

She said that she would come and help carry the prayers up to our creator.

If she could not come, then she would send red tailed hawk in her place.

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Eagle said to use tobacco to smoke in prayer only and to offer the smoke to the Four Directions, Mother Earth and our creator.

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Eagle said, “All of this will help your prayers to be heard and will help the people to become more in balance and feel their great importance as protectors of Mother Earth.”

Eagle said, “Remember the songs and chants of the birds and all of the lessons from the animals and Moon Maiden.”

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Eagle told Ponu to go back to where she came from and share what she had learned with all who would listen.

She said, “Teach the children because they have a pure heart.”

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At that moment, Ponu was startled by the loud noise of an earth moving bulldozer.

She woke up from the strange, magical dream she had and realized that she had fallen asleep

by Old Grandmother Oak Tree.

Or was it really a dream?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lorene Sisquoc (Fort Sill Apache/Cahuilla), mother of three, grandmother of seven, and great-grandmother of one; Curator / Culture Traditions Leader at Sherman Indian High School Museum; Instructor, University of California, Riverside; Elder in Residence, California Polytechnic State University; Mother Earth Clan Programs; Sisquoc is co-founder and curator of the Sherman Indian Museum. Sisquoc co-founded the Mother Earth Clan Cultural Programs in 1986. She became volunteer curator/manager of the Sherman Indian Museum in 1991 and has taught classes in Native American traditions and basketry at Sherman Indian High School since 1995. Sisquoc is the first elder/scholar-in-residence at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, California.

ABOUT THE ARTIST Zoe Storz is a 20-year-old artist born and raised in New York City. Currently, she studies Studio Art and English at Pitzer College, primarily focusing on the intersections of painting, photography, and poetry.

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